Segment Profile

In the Agricultural Solutions segment, we aim to further strengthen our market position as an integrated provider of seeds, crop protection and digital solutions. Our connected offer comprises fungicides, herbicides, insecticides and biological solutions, as well as seeds and seed treatment products, complemented by digital products to help farmers achieve better yield. Our strategy is based on innovation-driven organic growth and targeted portfolio expansion through acquisitions. Customer needs, societal expectations and regulatory requirements are our innovation drivers.

Indications and sectors

Fungicides

Protecting crops against harmful fungal diseases

Herbicides

Reducing competition from weeds for nutrients, water and sunlight

Insecticides

Combating insect pests in agriculture and beyond

Seed Treatment

Improving seeds’ potential with chemical and biological protection as well as inoculants

Seeds & Traits

Optimizing and developing seeds and new traits

Sales

Agricultural Solutions – Sales (pie chart)
Factors influencing sales
Agricultural Solutions – Factors influencing sales (bar chart)
Income from operations before special items

Million €

Agricultural Solutions – Income from operations before special items (bar chart)

How we create value – an example

BioSolutions by BASF
Natural partners for the cultivation of field and specialty crops and conventional crop protection

Value for our customers and the environment

Nemasys® C: biological pest control with an effectiveness of

up to 90%

Value for BASF

BioSolutions by BASF portfolio with annual sales of

>€150 million

Beneficial nematodes provide flexible pest control as they fit into both conventional and organic farming practices and work across glasshouse and outdoor-grown field crops, fruits and vegetables as well as turf. These effective BioSolutions by BASF are in some cases the only option to limit the spread of destructive pests such as the codling moth. The larvae of this pest burrow under the bark of apple trees to overwinter, where they cannot be reached with other crop protection products. We have developed Nemasys® C beneficial nematodes that reach these overwintering larvae and provide up to 90% control in U.S. apple orchards, mitigating insect numbers for the following year.

BioSolutions are part of our portfolio for sustainable agriculture. To develop BioSolutions, we focus on leveraging in-house expertise and strategic partnerships. These solutions are based on natural mechanisms like beneficial nematodes, micro-organisms, plant extracts and pheromones. They are natural partners for a wide range of field and specialty crops and can be used in organic farming or as a complement to conventional crop protection products. Demand for BioSolutions, including seed treatment, soil and foliar applications, results in annual sales of over €150 million.

Strategy

  • Innovation-driven strategy for profitable growth in selected markets
  • Strong customer orientation with a focus on strategic, regional crop systems
  • A wide-ranging portfolio with more sustainable solutions

Farming is fundamental given that by 2050, the world’s population is expected to increase by two billion people.1 The growing demand for food must be reconciled with limited natural resources such as arable land and water. Agriculture is a key enabler in providing enough healthy, affordable food and responding to changing consumer behavior while reducing the impact on the environment. As one of the world’s leading agricultural solutions companies, we want to create a positive impact and help shape a sustainable future for farming. At BASF, we believe that the way forward for agriculture is to find the right balance – for farmers, agriculture and future generations.

Farmers need to balance resources, technology, climate and societal uncertainty in order to produce in an economically sound way. We support them in finding the right balance by focusing more than ever on the needs of our customers, societal concerns and regulatory requirements. With a deep understanding of the way individual growers manage their farms and crop systems, we provide a connected offer, including seeds, traits, crop protection, and digital products and solutions.

Our innovation-driven strategy for agriculture focuses on four selected crop combinations, known as crop systems: 1. soy, corn (maize) and cotton in the Americas; 2. wheat, canola (oilseed rape) and sunflowers in North America and Europe; 3. rice in Asia; and 4. fruit and vegetables globally. We actively steer our connected offer for farmers and the agricultural industry toward sustainable solutions by integrating sustainability criteria into all business and portfolio decisions.

The success of our customers depends on many factors such as weather, disease, pest and weed pressure, soil conditions and prices for agricultural produce. Our customers strive for better yield – yield produced in ways that are recognized as valuable by society, are kind to the planet and enable farmers to run their farms profitably in the long term while embracing digital and other new technologies in day-to-day farm operations.

Our innovative digital products, marketed under the xarvio® Digital Farming Solutions brand, help farmers to make better decisions, enable precision farming and in this way, enhance sustainability.

1 Source: U.N. World Population Prospects 2019